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New York Rangers Come Out Flat, Lose to Philadelphia Flyers 2-1

Thursday night was a big step back for the New York Rangers as they were unable to beat an undermanned Philadelphia Flyers team that hadn't won a game yet early on in the season.

The Flyers were down Scott Hartnell due to injury and Brayden Schenn who was serving a one-game suspension for his hit on New Jersey defenseman Anton Volchenkov. Danny Briere also sat with his wrist injury.

Despite the three forwards missing in action, the Flyers still beat the Rangers, 2-1. Both teams sit last in the Atlantic Division with matching 1-3-0 records.

It's the first time Philly has beaten the Rangers in almost two calendar years, as New York went 6-0 vs. the Flyers last season. Rangers captain Ryan Callahan was quick to note that none of those stats from a year ago matter.

"All the games were close, they could've went either way," he said.

After an emotional win on Wednesday over the Boston Bruins, the Rangers came out of the gate flat on Thursday, only mustering 13 shots on Ilya Bryzgalov through the game's first two periods. Bryzgalov saved every shot, while his team put 28 shots on Henrik Lundqvist. After two periods, the Flyers held a 2-0 edge, thanks to goals from Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek.

Early in the third period, Taylor Pyatt recorded his third goal in as many games netting a power play goal. Marian Gaborik collected his own rebound and found Pyatt all alone to the side of the net. His one-timer beat Bryzgalov cutting the lead in half.

Midway through the period, momentum started to shift in the direction of the Rangers. They were awarded a huge power play chance when Tye McGinn was given a double minor penalty for high sticking Michael Del Zotto at 9:24, which turned into a five-on-three when Niklas Grossman hooked Gaborik at 9:39.

The Flyers' penalty kill was spectacular killing off nearly two minutes of the five-on-three, with Bryzgalov robbing both Callahan and Rick Nash of goals. Once the Flyers killed that penalty, they still had about two minutes of a normal penalty to kill, which they did with relative ease which brought the crowd to its feet.

It was like the opening night in Boston all over again for the Rangers in that aspect, where once the penalties were killed, the team showed no life and no hope of getting back into the game.

Lundqvist played great in net for the Rangers, stopping 31 shots, but like what has often happened in the past, the offense couldn't help him out with some goals. Bryzgaolv only made 18 saves in the contest as the Rangers' offense didn't keep him busy.

Connecticut Whale call-up Kris Newbury replaced rookie Chris Kreider in the lineup in this game, and promptly got in a fight as he tried to spark the team — and maybe keep an NHL job — in the second period.

Up next for the Rangers is the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday at 7 p.m.